A gospel choir from Leicester and an Irish priest have responded with delight at reaching the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent.

Fr Ray Kelley from Oldcastle in County Meath and the DMU Gospel Choir are each among 35 acts selected for the competition's penultimate stage.

Speaking to the priest as she referred to his successful fellow competitors, show judge Amanda Holden told Fr Kelley: "You better thank him upstairs [an unorthodox reference to God] sir, because you are all through to the next round."

Speaking backstage before the decision was revealed on Saturday night, Fr Kelley told the ITV show: "I have visions of going home to my parish and telling them, you know, I got through to Britain's Got Talent.

The DMU Gospel Choir's audition - which featured a compilation of Gospel tracks including Edwin Hawkins Singers' Oh Happy Day - during the first week of the contest has since been viewed 430,000 times on YouTube.

Rise, a dance troupe which includes a 13-year-old survivor of the May 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, is also through to the live semi-final stage.

The semi-finals will be staggered during each evening next week.

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